1. Method of the Consumer Survey

The Consumer Survey is a telephone interview survey by means of
which it is possible to measure Finns’ images - assessments
and expectations - of the general economic development and the
financial situation of one's own household and intentions to make
major purchases, save money or take out a loan. In addition, the
survey is a tool for finding out how common modern machines and
equipment are in households.

The first Finnish Consumer Survey was conducted in November
1987. Until 1991 it was carried out twice a year, in May and
November. In 1992 the survey times were rose to four: the survey
months were February, May, August and November. Since October 1995
the Consumer Survey data have been collected monthly on assignment
of the European Commission.

The Consumer Survey has a totally new individual sample each
month. The same sample is also used for the data collection of the
Finnish Travel Survey and some other surveys as well. The sample
size of the Consumer Survey is 2,350 persons monthly. The
non-response rate nowadays being about 35 per cent, approximately
1,500 responses are gained every month. The non-response rate
includes those who refused from the survey or were otherwise
prevented from participating as well as those who could not be
contacted.

The interviews are conducted from Statistics Finland's CATI
Centre during the first two or three weeks of the month. The target
area is the whole country and the respondents of the Consumer
Survey represent the 15 to 84-year-old population in Finland,
according to age, gender, province of domicile and native
language.

All the response data of the Consumer Survey are weighted
against the total population by means of sample weights. Weighting
corrects the effects of non-response and improves the statistical
accuracy of the data. The weights are established by using a
calibration method and the probability of each observation to be
included in the sample. The figures and series presented are not
seasonally adjusted.